Wednesday, October 26, 2016

What-to-Know Wednesday : It's Snowing! (Knight Chat FAQs)

Hello all, and greetings from the first snow of the year!
While some may be a bit bummed that it's arrived so early, I prefer to embrace the magic.

So, in light of this October dusting in the wake of last night's Knight Chat, I can't think of a better time to discuss some frequently asked Knight Chat questions about the snow!

1.) How cold does it really get?

To be honest, I don't find the temperature in Vermont to be much different than the rest of New England in the thick of winter. If anything, the wind off the lake can add an extra chill to the air downtown. But again- New England is pretty much across the board.

2.) How often does it snow?

In all my years at St. Mike's, I don't recall ever being buried in snow. (Here on campus, that is. Up in the mountains, it usually starts earlier and is much heavier than down here!) Big storms that dump several inches at once have been rare. In fact, I'm having a hard time getting past last winter, when we hardly got any snow at all! (Again, that was the sad truth for skiers all over New England!)

3.) Is there anything to do in the winter besides skiing?

Speaking of skiing...why yes, of course there are other things to do! And while I certainly recommend taking advantage of SMC's $65 season pass to Smuggler's Notch, an amazing mountain just 40 minutes from campus (!!!), Vermont always provides endless options. Essentially, you can do just about anything in the winter that you can do in the warmer months...go for a winter hike (but please be prepared, I've made that mistake before), explore downtown Burlington and Church Street, visit a local park, a neighboring town (Shelburne happens to be my personal favorite!), or hang out with friends on/off campus!

So no, you don't need to know how to ski to come to St. Mike's, nor will you be looked down on if you don't! There are plenty of people here who don't ski, and some have even taken the opportunity to learn in their time here!

4.) How is it walking between classes in the cold/snow?

One of the many great things about St. Mike's is that you'll never have more than a 5-minute walk to your class! The main academic buildings are all connected to one another, and even the furthest residence halls are a quick walk- no big deal as long as you're bundled up!